1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains in general to short distance communication for mobile telephones, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for effectuating short distance bidirectional and unidirectional communication between a mobile telephone and another device without using a mobile serving telephone system to relay the communication.
2. Description of Related Art
Many products provide various forms of wireless communication. A first category of wireless devices, such as mobile telephones, cordless telephones, and two-way radios, provide bidirectional communication. A second category of devices, such as garage door openers, keyless entry systems for automobiles, and remote control devices for home entertainment equipment, provide unidirectional communication typically used for transmitting commands to remotely controlled devices. The second category further includes devices which perform unidirectional communication to transmit data. Such devices may include a computer to printer interface which allows a computer to transmit data to a printer or a personal organizer via wireless communication.
Many future applications are envisioned for wireless communication such as keyless access to buildings, automated teller machine interfaces, credit/debit card interfaces to point of sale equipment, and airport check-in facilitators among others. Also envisioned is the ability to provide short distance voice communication between a mobile telephone and either another mobile telephone or some other communication device without using a serving mobile telephone system infrastructure to relay the communication. Examples include communication between two mobile telephones, wherein, the mobile telephone users are family members located at a shopping mall or theme park or who are traveling in separate but proximate automobiles.
In most instances, each of the current and envisioned applications require the use of separate, different devices. It is desirable to combine some or all of communications features provided by these devices into a single unit. It would be advantageous if these features could be included into a mobile telephone. Due to the plethora of operating frequencies, data protocols, and modulation methods, however, such a device would be complex and expensive thereby making it impractical. It would be advantageous therefore, to devise a method and apparatus for effectuating wireless communication, as has been described, using a mobile telephone with little or no modification to the mobile telephone hardware. It would further be advantageous for such a method and apparatus to operate independent of the mobile telephone system infrastructure.